SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- A new comparison-shopping tool
called SquareTrade SideBar becomes available today, just in time to help
online shoppers make smarter, safer purchase decisions -- not to mention
relieve stress and save money on gas by choosing to use their fingers to shop
rather than their four wheels -- for the hectic holiday shopping season.
SquareTrade SideBar is free to consumers at www.squaretrade.com. It takes less
than a minute to install on your web browser.
SquareTrade SideBar is an always-on application that acts as your online
shopping assistant so you don't have to remember yet another website. It
detects when you are shopping and automatically delivers relevant information
necessary to make a better-informed purchase -- pricing comparisons,
availability, reviews and seller trust ratings. SquareTrade SideBar makes
shopping more convenient and comprehensive by displaying a broader range of
purchase options -- from retail stores to auctions and classified ads.
The first release of SideBar is focused on delivering great results in one
of the largest gift-giving and online shopping categories: consumer
electronics, for which industry research indicates that over $20 billion in
U.S. online purchases will be made in 2005. Over time, SquareTrade plans to
roll out additional product categories, as well as expand the retail outlets
it draws from.
"Our goal is to eliminate the time-sink and complexity of online shopping
and give people peace of mind that they got a great deal," said Steve
Abernethy, SquareTrade CEO and co-founder. "Shoppers experience a lot of
stress and waste hours -- or even days -- hunting for the best deal online,
especially during the holidays. In fact, our research indicates that many
online consumers visit up to 10 sites per day over multiple days to assure
themselves of a good deal."
"We also see that consumers aren't just looking for the cheapest price,
they want to have the peace of mind that they are buying from reputable
merchants," Abernethy continued. "We can help consumers drastically reduce
their efforts and get great results."
SquareTrade's peace-of-mind promise also extends to a common menace in
online shopping today: fraudulent web sites. SideBar is the first
comparison-shopping tool to incorporate anti-fraud and anti-phishing
technology. This protection incorporates specialized databases shared by
consortiums that include eBay, Microsoft and Visa.
Since its first public showing at the tech industry's DEMOfall05 forum
last month, SquareTrade SideBar has been lauded as one of the most interesting
new products for the coming year. Among the accolades for SideBar, PC Magazine
online wrote: "Similar price-comparison tools have often been the purview of
adware companies, but SquareTrade says there's no monkey business in SideBar.
In fact, in addition to helping you find the best price, SideBar will also
alert you when you visit fraudulent, 'phishing' web sites."
"SquareTrade SideBar is a well-considered application that eliminates some
of the complexity and inefficiency, and gives people the assurances they
demand in their online shopping experience," DEMOfall Executive Producer Chris
Shipley said.
About SquareTrade
SquareTrade is the leading provider of online shopping services addressing
the "trust deficit" in ecommerce. Established in 1999, SquareTrade delivers
industry-leading merchant verification, post-purchase protections and online
dispute resolution. SquareTrade works with eBay, Yahoo! and other leading
brands, as well as with thousands of online merchants to help millions of
consumers shop safely every month. SideBar -- a smarter, safer online shopping
assistant -- is the latest in the company's growing portfolio of services
helping consumers shop more confidently and safely online. Privately held,
SquareTrade is headquartered in San Francisco. For more information go to
www.squaretrade.com.
Contact:
Betty Taylor
Krause Taylor Associates for SquareTrade, Inc.
408-918-9082
bettyt@krause-taylor.com
Patricia Pane
Krause Taylor Associates for SquareTrade, Inc.
212-947-6553
patricia@krause-taylor.com